For this lesson, we will be discussing about punctuations. Ah… Punctuations, those decors and symbols that you see sprawled all around against the words that you are writing. But they are not just simple decors and symbols. They actually serve a purpose!

And for this, we’ll talk about the basics of all fundamentals. I’ll also be discussing about common mistakes done by authors over here at AFF that concerns punctuations.

Period (.) – The generic of all generics. I think it’s safe to assume everyone knows what this punctuation is for, right? It is used to end sentences, used to indicate that this sentence you are writing is ending. They are specifically used to end declarative sentences, sentences that do not serve as questions, or sentences that do not demonstrate strong emotion.

 

Example: She rode the bus on the way to the skating rink.

 

Three periods (…) are used to indicate that your character is at a loss of words or he/she is trailing off her remarks. Remember to only use three periods for this purpose. Not four, not five, not two.

 

Exclamation point (!) – Used to demonstrate strong emotions and feelings overflowing with words. You will use this if your character is shouting, asking for help, surprised, amazed – anything that demonstrates strong feelings.

 

Example: It’s easy for you to say! Because you’ve never experienced it!

 

The good part about this particular exclamation point is the fact that it helps emphasize your writing. It makes a point and supports the fact that your characters are feeling strong emotions. Below is an example of how you can make use of this punctuation to your advantage.

 

Example: A. “It’s easy for you to say! Because you’ve never experienced it!” she shouted, and panted hard after her outburst. She felt the tears in her eyes, triggering to fall. She doesn’t want to, no, not now, not in front of her sworn mortal enemy.

 

This paragraph is so full and overflowing of emotions, demonstrating that your character is overflowing with them, as well. The exclamation point helps readers realise that “Oh… She’s angry, and sad, and torn.” It supports the message that you want to convey.

 

B. “It’s easy for you to say. Because you’ve never experienced it.” she shouted, and panted hard after her outburst. She felt the tears in her eyes, triggering to fall. She doesn’t want to, no, not now, not in front of her sworn mortal enemy.

 

Whereas, over here at Example B, it’s lacking and gives the impression that rather than feeling angry, she feels sadder. Her dialogue sounds melancholic and gives off a wrong message of what you are trying to convey.

 

Make sure you make use of this punctuation wisely and carefully.

 

Common mistake: If you plan on using multiple series of exclamation points, always use three (3) of them! Don’t only use two, don’t use four, it’s either one exclamation point or three. This is one of the English lessons I couldn’t forget from my former writing coach way back in Sixth Grade.

 

Question mark (?) – This is fairly simple. This punctuation is used to mark off questions. They are used to indicate if someone is asking or not. The lack of it makes writing confusing and makes your readers confus